"Exploring Old Stars for Signs of Life"

New observations of the star 51 Pegasi suggest that older stars, like our sun, may provide a more stable environment for the development of complex life, as weakened magnetic braking in these stars reduces the likelihood of devastating eruptive events and provides a more stable magnetic environment. This challenges previous assumptions about the eternal magnetic brake on stars and suggests that middle-aged and older stars may be the best places to search for life outside of our solar system.